Agricultural Marketing Service

National List: Materials Update

Lisa M. Brines, Ph.D.

NOP Standards Division

National Organic Standards Board Meeting

October 28, 2014

Louisville, Kentucky
Agricultural Marketing Service

Evaluation Criteria for Materials

• Criteria are provided for in the Organic Foods 

Production Act of 1990 (OFPA)

• Technical report questions and NOSB checklists 

align with OFPA criteria

• Different criteria for production uses vs. handling

• Additional criteria for synthetic processing aids and 

adjuvants at § 205.600(b)
Agricultural Marketing Service

Outstanding Petitions - Crops

• Under Subcommittee 

review:

– Allyl isothiocyanate*

– Aluminum sulfate*

– Calcium sulfate

– 3-decen-2-one

– Exhaust gas (carbon 

monoxide)*

– Laminarin*

* Technical report in 

development

Petitions are posted on the NOP website
Agricultural Marketing Service

Outstanding Petitions - Livestock

• Under Subcommittee 

review:

– Acidified sodium chlorite

– Aluminum sulfate*

– Aquaculture petitions 

(x10)

– Methionine

– Sodium bisulfite*

– Zinc sulfate*

*Technical report in 

development

Petitions are posted on the NOP website
Agricultural Marketing Service

Outstanding Petitions - Handling

• This meeting:

– Glycerin

– Whole algal flour
Agricultural Marketing Service

Outstanding Petitions - Handling

• Under Subcommittee review:

– Ammonium hydroxide

– Gibberellic acid

– Triethyl citrate*

– Polyalkylene glycol monobutyl ether (PGME)

* Technical report in development

Petitions are posted on the NOP website
Agricultural Marketing Service

Voting Procedures

• For petitioned substances, NOSB votes on two 

motions:

– 1st motion: Classification (if not previously classified)

• Synthetic / Nonsynthetic

• Agricultural / Nonagricultural

– 2nd motion: To list/remove/amend

• 2/3 majority needed for decisive vote (10 votes / 15 

members)
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2015 Materials - Crops

• Three sunset substances

– Aqueous potassium silicate (2 listings)

– Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate

– Sulfurous acid

• Updated technical reports available for all three 

substances
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2015 Materials - Handling

• Four sunset substances:

– Gellan gum

– Marsala wine

– Sherry wine

– Tragacanth gum

• No new technical reports
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2016 Materials - Crops

• Two sunset substances:

– Ferric phosphate

– Hydrogen chloride*

*Updated technical report available
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2016 Materials - Handling

• 10 sunset substances:

– Egg white lysozyme

– L-Malic acid

– Microorganisms*

– Activated charcoal

– Peracetic acid

– Cyclohexylamine

– Diethylaminoethanol

– Octadecylamine

– Sodium acid 

pyrophosphate

– Tetrasodium

pyrophosphate*

* Updated technical report 

available
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2017 Materials – Preview 

• The majority of materials on the National List are 

scheduled to Sunset in 2017

• The complete list of Sunset 2017 materials is available on 

the NOP website in a recent memo on Sunset Review 

Timeline published January 22, 2014
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2017 Materials – Preview 

• NOP has been working with the NOSB Subcommittees to 

determine which materials need updated technical information

• The NOP is dedicating more than $330,000 to technical report 

development for sunset 2017 materials.
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2017 Materials – Technical reports 

in development (Crops)

• Ethanol

• Isopropanol

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Lime sulfur

• Potassium bicarbonate

• Soaps 

(algicide/demossers)

• Soaps (herbicidal)

• Vitamin B1, C, E

• EPA List 4 – limited to 

nonylphenol ethoxylates
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2017 Materials – Technical reports 

in development (Livestock)

• Ethanol

• Isopropanol

• Chlorhexidine

• Iodine

• Copper sulfate

• Hydrated lime

• Mineral oil

• Excipients

• Electrolytes

• Vitamins

• Parasiticides

(Fenbendazole, 

Ivermectin, Moxidectin)
Agricultural Marketing Service

Sunset 2017 Materials – Technical reports 

in development (Handling)

• Alginic acid

• Alginates

• Citric acid

• Calcium citrate

• Potassium citrate

• Sodium citrate

• Lactic acid

• Enzymes

• Pectin

• Fish oil

• Tocopherols

• Nutrient vitamins and minerals 

(including potassium iodide, 

ferrous sulfate)

• Glycerides (mono and di)

• Colors

• Fructooligosacchardies

• Inulin – oligofructose enriched

• Whey protein concentrate
Agricultural Marketing Service

Update – Petition Process

• NOP is continuing to work on two NOSB 

recommendations from April 2014 to update the 

National List Petition Process, including changes to 

Confidential Business Information

• The new procedures will become effective after 

publication in the Federal Register
Agricultural Marketing Service

Thank you!